Qantas and Virgin ramp up frequent flyer points: earn bonus credits this week

The two biggest airlines in Australia have upped their points games this week, with both offering frequent flyer members the chance to earn bonus status credits and points. So, if you’re looking to upgrade your flying experience, now might be the right time to book a flight–as long as you read the fine print first.

Earn double Qantas points or status credits

Qantas Frequent Flyers can take advantage of the airline’s Twice as Rewarding offer until 11.59pm 2 March, 2026 AEDT. Customers can choose to double either their status credits or their Qantas points with this offer. Status credits determine membership tiers–the more you have, the better your membership benefits–so doubling the credits you earn with this offer could mean a serious upgrade. Those who choose double points can put them towards their next flight or reward.

Frequent Flyers need to register on the Qantas App to take advantage of the offer. Travellers should note the offer is only valid on eligible flights booked for travel between 3 March, 2026 to 12 February, 2027. To earn even more points, Frequent Flyers can stack points from Qantas hotel or holiday bookings.

If you’re wondering whether those extra status credits will really make a difference to your membership, here’s a breakdown of how many you need to upgrade.

• Silver: 300 status credits
• Gold: 700 status credits
• Platinum: 1,400 status credits
• Platinum One: 3,600 status credits

What’s the catch: Be wary of booking flights just for the bonus status credits or points. Last year, Qantas increased its redemption rates, and in some cases its fees, for its Classic Flight Rewards program—the program that allows you to buy a seat for a set number of Qantas points. This makes it even more important to understand how much Qantas points are worth and whether offers like this add up to a good deal.

Earn up to 125 bonus Velocity status credits

Not to be outdone, Virgin has also announced its biggest offer ever for  Velocity Frequent Flyers. Velocity members can earn up to 125 status credits to help them maintain or upgrade their membership tier. Virgin’s Velocity Frequent Flyers can earn bonus status credits on eligible flights between 12 January, 2026 and 31 March, 2026.

The offer applies to all Virgin Australia fare types on eligible flights, including the budget-friendly Economy Lite and Choice categories. It also extends to business travellers who book via corporate travel policies, even including the ‘best fare of the day’. Unlike other promotions that are valid for future travel only, customers can earn bonus credits on eligible flights backdated to 12 January, 2026.

• 2 eligible flights = 45 bonus status credits
• 3 eligible flights = 65 bonus status credits
• 4 eligible flights = 85 bonus status credits
• 5 eligible flights = 105 bonus status credits
• 6+ eligible flights = 125 bonus status credits

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to earn the total amount of status credits needed to upgrade your membership during this promotion period. However, if you’ve already accrued status credits, you may be able to top them up enough to push you into the next tier.

Here’s the amount of status credits you’ll need for each membership level:

• Silver: 250 status credits (125 must be from Virgin Australia flights)
• Gold: 500 status credits (250 must be from Virgin Australia flights)
• Platinum: 1000 status credits (5,000 must be from Virgin Australia flights)
• Platinum Plus: 2,000 status credits (1,500 must be from Virgin Australia flights)

What’s the catch: To both upgrade and maintain your status, the credits (say 250 credits) must all have been earned in the previous 365 days. If some of your credits were earned 366 days ago, they don’t count towards an upgrade.

Are these offers worth it?

If you were already planning to book flights during these dates, this promotion may be a handy way to boost your status. However, don’t spend money just to chase credits. The cost of the flights rarely outweighs the extra benefits. Before you book, check that the bonus points are actually worth the spend.